Chain machine



y 6, 1953 M. H. LANGE 2,639,755

CHAIN MACHINE Filed Sept. 30, L947 10 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

MAX H. [.A/VGE May 26, 1953 M..H. LANGE 2,539,755

' CHAIN MACHINE Filed Sept. 30, 1947 1'0 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 I INVENTOR.MA/Y'HL'ANGE May 26, 1953 M. H. LANGE 0mm MACHINE Filed Sept. 3..1947

10 sheets-heet 3 INVENTOR. Mfl/f H. L/I/VGL' BY I May 26, 1.953 M. H.LANGE 2,639,755

' CHAIN MACHINE Filed Sept. 50. 1947 I 1o Sheets-Sheet 4 .J n \C 3 G 0')Fi i 4.

" ull J; N h o l I \U a i x I Q I v Q I l l i 1 a I h w n o n l' n B 24" 3 INVENTOR. MAX H. LANGE May 26, 1953 M. H. LANGE $639,755

CHAIN- MACHINE Filed Sept. 30, 1947 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

MM H. LANGE y 1953 M. H. LANGE 2,639,755 CHAIN MACHINE Filed pt, 30,1947 .10 Sheets-Sheet 6 Fi i 6.

IN VEN TOR.

MM LANG/5 May 26, 1953 M. H. LANGE,

CHAIN MACHINE Filed Sept. 30. 1947 l0 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR. M/M AAAG5 BY I 1, a I

M. HA LANGE CHAIN MACHINE May 26, 1953 Filed Sept. 30. 194

10 Sheets-Sheet -8 1..... AQIQ- INVENTOR. A4141 H. LA N65 BY M. H.LANGE" CHAIN MACHINE May 26, 1953 10 sheets-sheet 9 Filed Sept. 30. 1947INVENTOR. MAX H. LA/VGE BY May 26, 1953 M. H. LANGE 63 755 CHAIN MACHINEFiled Sept. 30. 1947 1'0 Sheets-Sheet 1o -Eyf6. E9: 12'

IN VEN TOR.

MAX H. L/I/VGE Patented May 26, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHAINMACHIN H. Lange, New York, N. Y. Application September 30, 1947, SerialNo. 776,906

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to chain machines for vforming and attachingmetallic slide fastener elements to a cloth tape and has for its objectto provide a compact machine which will operate at high speed reliablyto form a long series of identical elements, which readily accessiblefor adjustment, repair or replacement of its several assemblies andwhich can be threaded both with strip metal and with tape in such animproved manner that a great deal of time is saved in its operation.

Another object is to provide a machine for this purpose of the doubleheader type, both heads being operated from a single ram. The ram isreciprocated by cams carried by a main camshaft the bearings for whichare exposed to view t r the purp o e sy inspection and replac m n andfor the ther p p e of mproved lubrication. According to the improvedassembly and arrangement the necessary lubrieant is confined to theparticular areas requirins lubrication thus accomplishing a further andimportant object of the invention which is to prevent soiling of thecloth tape with lubricant during the manufacture of chain.

Another object of the invention is to operate the ram horizontally, thepunch and female hob being mounted on the end of the ram. By thisarrangement the tape travels horizontally across the machine.

so that the progress and condition .of the tape may be inspected at alltimes and so that threading .of tape is greatly simplified.

,A further object of the machine is to provide a vertical die platehaving a vertical groove therein serving as a guide for the metal stripfrom which elements are formed tandem-wise by the tools which arecomposed of a punch and as it is withdrawn it often forms metal chipswhich litter the machine and which, if not removed, .can causeconsiderable damage. I pre- The tape tensioning means are located infull view on the top of the machine 2 clude the formation of t se h psby w t drawingthe metal immediately upon completion o th shear ng of acl m nt so that the punch ma freely thdrawis to provide a machine Othe jcts and advantages will be ome he einafter more fully apparent asreference is had to the a ompanyin rawin s wherein y invent cn isillustrated, y way of example and i which igu e 1.1 i a side levation ofmy imp ove chain machine, taken .fl'Qm the right si e f Figure 2,

Figure 2 i a ear v t on f the machin which is th e s o Fi u e Figu 3 isa op elevation the e f,

igure 4 is a vertical section tak n alo g t l ne 4 o Figu e h tr p er pate, the plat and a portion of the bolster plate being broken away atthe upp r left side, a str pper Plat b ing removed from the right side,

Figure 5 is an enlarged view .of the .hQlster plat assemb w t h metaeeds a d c nt l sha t also bei g shown,

Figure 6 is a vertical section taken along the i e 16 o i u e v5,

Figur '7 is a om wh ammati p rspective pi t r a ly ustrating t me a eed,th element forming tools and the attachment of the e me ts to t e a e,

Figure 8 i a vertical section throu h a shaf brake tak n a ong the line8-8 Q Figu e i u e 9 i an n rg d pe p ti e view o ene c osing law w th ia tuatin m n .E eu e 10 i top elevat on o the unch block as emb y w ichincludes th osin law as:- .tuators,

Fiaure 11 s a en arged -Ont view or the up r p tion o t e .d plat vassembly,

i ure 1.2 is a p rspective of a fra me t of the die plate showin one weblock in opera-tins .si cn th rein,

Fi u e 3, 14 and 1: are dia rammatic perspectives show n the steps informin and atta hin e enie ts t .a tape,

Figure 15 s an enla ged front .detail .view of the gap forming meanstaken along the line zit-16 oi ii'iaur :1,

Fi ure .17 is a side elevation of the ga forming means .of Figure 16which is also an elevation as indicated by the line I l-eel F! .ofFigure 2,

Figure '18 is an enlarged front elevational .detail of the :metal tapeand trip of the -gap-forming means, and

Figure 1 9 is a vertical section-taken along the line l9l9 of Figure 18.

2| by screws 25. seen that Figure 4 is a frontal view of the genof theblock by a spring 3|.

plate 40.

More particularly, I refers to the base members of the main frame havingsupporting feet 2 from which legs 3 arise to form a stand for the chainmachine. A driving motor 4 is supported in the stand for driving themain cam shaft 5 by means of a belt 6. As best seen in Figures 2 and 3,the cam shaft 5 is supported in bearings within bearing housings I and acam carried by the cam shaft within the housing 8 is pivotally connectedby a pin 9 to the ram I0. The ram I is supported by and guided by theram guides I I for reciprocatory movement toward and away from the camshaft.

Keyed to the end of the ram at I2 for movement therewith is the punchblock I3 as will be hereinafter more fully described.

On top of the base legs 3 are frame members I4 which support upper framemembers I5, I6 and I1 as seen in Figure 1 and others as seen in otherfigures. The frame member I! supfports the bolster plate I8 which inturn carries the die plate guides I9 and the die plate adjust- Dieplates 2| (Figures 4 and 6) are positioned between the guides I9 andsecured Stripper In this connection, it will be eral bolster plateassembly with the left die plate "guide, the left stripper plate and theleft die plate being broken away to reveal the bolster plate I 8, theright stripper plate 23 being removed to-reveal the right die plate 2I,the right die plate guide I9 also being broken away. It will thus beseen that each die plate has a groove 26. Two spools of metal arecarried by a spool sup- 1 port (not shown) and fed through the guideways21 (Fig. 1) and into the grooves 26. per plates 23 and 24 serve as thecovers for the The stripgrooves.

Immediately below the die plates 2I is a plate 2 la. which is covered bythe lower stripper plates 24 and which houses the metal retractor means'best illustrated in Figures 6 and 7. Each retractor is composed,essentially, of an opening 28 through the plate 2Ia having a block 29therein of slightly smaller dimensions, than the opening 28'.

This block has a. plunger 30 urged outwardly through an opening inthe'top of the block by a spring 3|, and a second plunger 32urgedoutwardly through an opening in the side The lower stripper plates'24 retain the block 29 in the plate 21, the

left side of the block, as viewed in Figure 6 being approximately in theplane of the bottom of the groove 26 and forming a part of the groove.

-- The plunger 32 acts against one of these stripper plates urging theblock 29 out of the plane of .the bottom of the groove 26 and againstthe bolster plate I8, when permitted to do so by a shaft 34 whichcontacts the block 29 during operation of the machine maintaining itsleft face (Fig. 6) in the plane of the bottom of the groove 26 under theinfluence of a spring 43 but retractible by means of a cam handle 35.

A knurled wheel 3'6 (Figure 7) carried by a shaft 31 extends through thestripper plates 24 I into proximity with each block 29.

are intermittently driven by a ratchet wheel 38,

These wheels in turn, intermittently driven by a pawl 39 (Figures 1 and7) pivotally mounted on a-bell crank This plate 40 is pivotally mountedon the shaft 31 (Figure 7) and pivotally attached to a rocker arm 4Irotatably mounted on a cam 42 on the shaft 5.

The action to this point is as follows: if a strip of metal 42 fromwhich the slide fastener elements are to be formed and sheared is fed byhand into the passageway 27 and into the groove 26 until it passesbetween the Wheel 36 and the block 29 (the handle 35 being in theposition illustrated), rotation of the cam shaft causes a reciprocationof the ram I0 and a reciprocation of the rocker arm M. The bell crankplate 40 is caused to oscillate about the shaft 31 so that the pawl 39alternately drives the ratchet wheel 33 and the wheel 36 through aportion of a revolution and releases driving contact therewith. Byvirtue of the pressure of the spring 43 acting through the shaft 34 themetal strip is in pressure contact with the wheel 36 so that with eachpartial rotation of the wheel 36 the strip 42 is tach them separately totwo tapes.

though the motor 4 continues to drive the cam shaft 5.

As the strip 42 is advanced by a partial driven rotation of the wheel 36the block 29, because of its frictional contact with the strip 42, ismoved against the pressure of the spring 3I againstthe top of theopening 28. Upon completion of a driven movement of the wheel 36 thepawl 39 releases from engagement with the ratchet wheel 50 whereupon thespring 3i through the plunger forces the block 29 away from the top ofthe opening 23. The movement of the block causes a corresponding reversemovement or retraction of the strip 42. This movement need be only aslight amount, for instance, .0005 of an inch to prevent the formationof metal chips at the shearing tools, as will be again referred tohereinafter. 1

As the elements are sheared from the strip 42 they are clamped on acloth tape 44a which has a bead 44, as is illustrated in Figure 7 and aswill be further described. The tape is fed from two spools (not shown)which may be located near the chain machine in front of the handles forunwinding at the approximate level of the top of the bolster plate I8.Incidentally, the right side of the machine, as viewed in Figures 1 and3, is the front of the machine. This machine is known as a double headermachine which means that it has two sets of punches and dies whichsimultaneously form two elements and at- The two tape spools thereforeeach supply tape, each tape running substantially parallel to anddirectly above each rod 34 and between the tapered blocks 45 (Figure 4).Each pair of blocks 45, at their adjacent ends, are inclined for aportion of their height and, in their lower portion, provide a. slot 46to receive the bead 44 of the tape 4411., as best seen in Figure 4. Oneof these jaws is held firmly on the bolster I8 by a screw 48 while theother H jaw is urged toward it by a spring 49 principally remain openthe spring top 55 may be slid down on the pin 53 thus. permitting itslowerportion. 56

toact as a spacer between the pin and the right wall of the slot 54.

After the tape a passes between the tension guides 45 it then passes thepunch, die and hobs rotatably supported by the bracket 68, the shaft 59carrying a ratchet wheel 6| for intermittent rotation by a pawl 62mounted on the plate 62a and driven by the shaft so that movement ofthis pawl is in exact timing with the movement of the pawl 39.

The pressure pads 58 are each mounted on theend of a rod 63 which passesthrough a guide 64 fixedly mounted on the outer end of bracket 60. Aspring 65 between the guide 64 and a shoulder on the rod 63 urges thepressure pad into pressure contact with the tape 440. which is betweeneach pad '58 and its knurled wheel 51 so that as the pawl 62 and ratchet6| drive the knurled wheels 51 the tapes are pulled through the tensionguides 45. The rods 63 of the pressure pads project outwardly throughtheir guides 64 and have cam handles 66 on'the outer ends thereof. Whenthe free ends of these handles are elevated to horizontal position(Figure 1) the pressure pads are each withdrawn from their wheels 51 sothat the tapes will not be pulled through the guides 45 even though themotor 4 continues to rotate. v

The tools and the formation of the elements will not now be described.As best seen in Fi ures 6, 11 and 12, the die plate 2| has an opening atthe upper end thereof at the top of the metal strip groove 26. A blockhaving a projection 61 serves as a male hob. A shearing die 68 isfixedly secured in the plate 2| and the legs of this die witha wall ofthe hob 61 houses the knockout 69. A rod 16 passes freely through aframe member 1| and through the bolster l8 where it contacts the bottomof the knockout 69. A compression spring 12 between the frame member 1|and a collar 13 on the rod 18 urges the return of the knockout aftereach displacement. The rod may be adjusted as to its return position byrotation of the nuts 14 on the outer end thereof.

The punch block l3, as best seen in Figures 3 and 10, is carried by theram I8. It has two slots 15 to receive the two punches 16 which are eachheld in place by two retainers 11 and by a top block 18 adjustable bymeans of a set screw 19. The female hob members are carried by the punchblock in rear of the punches 16 for engagement with the hob members 61.Also carried by the punch block are two closing jaw actuators 89. Eachactuator has a slot 8| for engagement by the screws 82 for adjustment,and a set screw 83 to assure that the selected adjustment will bemaintained during operation. Each actuator has an inclined groove 84 forengagement with a similar slot 85 in each closing jaw 86, as best seenin Figure 9. The closing jaws rest on top of the stripper plates 23immediately adjacent the die plate 2| as best seen in Figure 6.

The action is as follows: as the metal strip 42 is advanced in thegroove 26, as previously described, it first overpasses the hob member61 where the male and the female hob form a cup when viewed from thebottom of the strip and a projection when viewed from the top thereof.This is the interlocking cup and projection of the fastener element. Thestrip is then adv'anced and another cup and. projection is formed and asthe strip is again advanced it overlies the shearing die 68 in front ofa punch 16 and comes to rest against the outer notch 88 in the closingjaws 86. As the punch advances, an element 81 is sheared from the end ofthe strip 42. As the punch completes its shear the end of the strip 12is depressed, the knockout 69 travelling inwardly with respect to thedie 68. As the punch 16 continues its inward movement, the shearedelement rests on the die 68, its rounded head rides upwardly into thegroove 89 of the punch and the closing jaws approach each other thusclamping the legs of the element on the bead '44 of the tape 43.

The exact timing of the shearing and closing movement may be altered byshifting the relative positions of the actuators 89 and the punches 16and by altering the inclination of the cam surfaces 84 and 85. Thus, thesetting may be such that the closing of the jaws 86 begins as theshearing begins and is completed when the shearing is completed.Preferably, the closing of the jaws takes place only to a minor extentprior to the shearing of the metal so that the actual gripping of thetape beak 44 by the element does not occur until after the shearing ofthe element is completed, as is illustrated in the three steps shown inFigures 13, 14 and 15. AS soon as the shearing of an element occurs thestrip 42 is slightly retracted, as previously described, so that uponwithdrawal of the punch the edge of the strip will have clearance.

While it is the customary practice in many plants to mount elementsuninterruptedly on the tape this machine will interrupt the mounting ofelements at any pre-seleoted interval thus forming gaps along the tape.The gap forming device will now be described.

Arising from a lower frame member and secured to an upper frame member16 are two parallel rods 9| which act as a guide for a weight 92,springingly supported from a second :guided weight 94. A shaft projectsfrom said second weight and rotatably supports a pulley 93. A metal band95 loops this pulley 93 and overlies a second pulley 96 mounted forrotation with a second ratchet wheel 99. The pulley 96 has a series ofsmall projections 91 on the surface thereof for engagement with holes 98in the band 95 so that the band must rotate as the ratchet wheel 99rotates. The ratchet wheel 99 and pulley 96 are freely rotatable on theshaft 31 and hence rotate in response to the movements of a pawl Imounted upon the plate 48 for movement with the pawl 39.

Attached to the band by small projections |8| (Figure 19) is one or moretrips |62. Each trip rides up under the pawl 39 elevating it fromdriving connection with the ratchet wheel 38 thus interrupting therotation of the shaft 31. ,The feeding of the metal strip 42 is thusinterrupted until the trip |||2 rides past the pawl 39 thus allowing itto engage the ratchet wheel 38 again and thus resume driving movementsof the shaft 31. The band 95 continues to be driven at :all times by theratchet wheel 99 and pawl I00 since the trip I92 does not affect them.Also the feeding of the cloth tape 43 continues so that when the pawl 39is in elevated position the tape .will pass between the punch 16 and die68 without having elements 81 attached thereto as none will be formed.The usual gap space is two inches but may be shorter or longer, asdesired. The number of trips I02 which may be used will vary,

assays depending upon'i-the length of finished slide fastener desired.If very short fasteners aredesired then a relatively long band 95 willbe employed with trips attached at intervals equal to the desiredfastener length. For longer lengthsl may provide diiferent length bandseach having only a single step. The band may be made adjustable inlength by providing one end with projections IOI which engage holes I03at any desired place to form an endless band of desired length with,possibly, only one trip I02.

In order to prevent coasting of the shaft 31 I providea brake I04,suitably placed at the oppositev end of the shaft from the pulley 96.The .brake is composed of a main member I05 pivotally mounted on a pinI06 projecting outwardly from the main frame. This member has an arcuatebearing portion I01 provided with a cylindrical liner I08 and a frictionliner I09 .therein which encircle the shaft 31. A cap H0 1 completes thecircumferential envelopment of the linings. A screw I I I passes freelythrough a hole 1; in the cap I I0 and is threaded into the member .5. Aspring I I2 urges the cap in pressure contact with the liners.

Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of myinvention and I there- .fore desire to be extended protection as defined.by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

-- 1-. In a chain machine for making slide fastener chain, a wheeladapted to feed a metal strip .between element forming tools, a shaftupon shaft, a first pulley attached to said other ratchet .wheel forrotation therewith, a second pulley in adjustably spaced relation withsaid first pulley,

' a metal band around said pulleys, two pawls jointly driven andindividually in contact with said ratchet wheels, and a trip carried bysaid "band and adapted to elevate the pawl of the first ratchet wheelthereby to interrupt the driving of said shaft and the feeding of saidmetal strip.

2. In a machine for forming slide fastener elements from a strip ofmetal and attaching said elements to a cloth tape, awheel adapted toconvtact the metal strip at its peripherythereby to References' Cited'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date900,335 Williams Oct. 6, 1908 1,296,870 Sohm Mar. 11, 1919 1,565,336Seufert Dec. 15, 1925 1,719,446 Peirce -July 3, 1929 2,231,286 Firin-gFeb. 11, 1941 2,241,893 Tuttle May 23, 1941 2,245,031 Gottlieb June 10,1941 2,296,483 Smith Sept. 22, 1942 2,299,606 Wintritz Oct. 20, 19422,336,662 Wintriss Dec. 14, 1943 2,361,687 Hermani Oct. 31, 19442,366,948 'Winterhalter Jan. 9, 1945 2,395,473 Firing Feb. 26, 19462,425,382 Lubbert Aug. 12, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country I DateGreat Britain Mar. 19, 1936

